The Bhagavad Gita on Succession and Continuity
Krishna opens the fourth chapter with a line of succession. He taught this yoga to Vivasvan, who taught Manu, who taught Ikshvaku, and the saintly kings understood it, until over a long time it was lost. Then He gives it again, to a friend. The Bhagavad Gita treats continuity as a leader’s duty: what is worth keeping has to be handed on deliberately, to the right person, at the right time, or it disappears. Arjuna’s own fear in the first chapter is of a family whose standards die with its elders. The verses gathered here speak to anyone who holds something built by others and must pass it on.
The 10 verses the book gathers under Succession and Continuity
Chapter and verse, as listed in the Index of Management Areas, each with The Meaning as it appears in the book. The Teaching and the Reflect question for every verse are in the book.
- 1.18Drupada, the sons of Draupadi, and mighty-armed Abhimanyu also blew their conches separately from their own places.
- 1.41Arjuna says that social disorder brings suffering to the destroyers of the family and to the family itself, and that the ancestors suffer when the traditional offerings of food and water are stopped.
- 1.42Arjuna says that the faults caused by family destruction create social disorder, and because of this, long-standing family and community duties are destroyed.
- 1.43Arjuna tells Krishna that he has heard that people whose family dharma has been destroyed are destined to dwell in hell.
- 4.1Krishna says that He first taught this eternal yoga to Vivasvan, who taught it to Manu, and Manu then taught it to Ikshvaku.
- 4.2Krishna says that this yoga was passed down through a proper tradition and understood by saintly kings, but over a long time it became lost in the world.
- 4.3Krishna says that He is now teaching Arjuna the same ancient yoga because Arjuna is His devotee and friend, and this teaching is a supreme secret.
- 10.6Krishna says that the seven great sages, the four ancient sages, and the Manus were born from Him, and the living beings of the world descend from them.
- 13.17Krishna says that the Supreme is undivided, though appearing divided among many beings. The Supreme sustains all beings, absorbs them, and produces them again.
- 15.16Krishna says that in this world there are two categories: the perishable and the imperishable. All embodied beings in changing material existence are perishable, while the steady, unchanging spiritual principle is called imperishable.
Chapter Four, Verse 2
एवं परम्पराप्राप्तमिमं राजर्षयो विदुः ।
evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ |
स कालेनेह महता योगो नष्टः परन्तप ॥
sa kāleneha mahatā yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa ||
The Meaning Krishna says that this yoga was passed down through a proper tradition and understood by saintly kings, but over a long time it became lost in the world.
Continuity fails when valuable knowledge is not actively preserved, practised, and passed on.
In the book, this verse is followed by The Teaching and a Reflect question.
Every verse under this area, with its Teaching and its Reflect question, is in The Ethical Leader’s Gita. For copies for your leadership team, see corporate and bulk gifting.